FT (MTR_7G085020) — Medicago truncatula

Summary

MTR_7G085020, designated MtFT, encodes a phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein (PEBP family member) on barrel medic chromosome 7. The product exhibits DNA-binding transcription factor activity, mRNA regulatory element binding translation repressor activity, and protein N-GlcNAc transferase activity, among other molecular functions. MtFT is associated with photoperiodism, vernalization response, floral whorl development, maintenance of floral meristem identity, and meristem determinacy. It has been connected to numerous agronomic traits including photoperiod-sensitive flowering time, spikelet floret size, inflorescence branch arrangement, seed viability, fruit set, vegetative vigor, and responses to temperature stress, viral disease, and spot blotch. Localization evidence links the protein to plasmodesmata, ER, Golgi, plastids, and mitochondria. Studies of related genes in other species connect the family to flowering time regulation, grain yield, biomass, and stress tolerance.